Sorry for not cutting more but it was nearly impossible.

Vital Gaudreau wrote:

 > Would you say when one sees the obvious signs of dysentery on the
 > outside of the hive at the end of wintering, chances are good that if
 > you examine that hive contain, you'll find crystallized "food" (syrup
 > or honey) in most cases (not to say in all cases) ?

Not necessarily. Overwintering stores have been discussed many times on
this list. You can have honeydew, which can ferment and some honeydews
are poisonous. Fall honey, usually aster and goldenrod, granulate
quickly and are full of solids that get in the bees gut and must be
voided in the winter (a double whammy). If there is no "January thaw",
and there seldom is in Maine, then they will let go in the hive which
will lead to more problems including dysentery. If you are near any pine
woods, you may be a victim of honeydew. I know my bees bring it in
during the fall flow. Bad stuff for bees. Great for people.

 > and, the remaining liquid part in the crystallized cells that might
 > have fermented is in fact what is causing the dysentery when consumed
 > by the wintered bees therefore making the bees sick and so weak that
 > the hive may consequently die during the early spring period.

If that was the cause of the deaths then that is the mechanism. Could
also have been any other thing I noted or something else. My guess is
honeydew and fall honey. Fall honey in our area crystallizes by
November. My bee's summer honeys will stay liquid for a year. I had one
stay liquid for several years.

 > HFCS fed in the fall has a bad reputation to crystallize in the
 > combs... Do you share this view?

First time I heard this. All I have read is that HFCS is second only to
sucrose as the best overwintering feed. But I do not use either so maybe
someone that does can comment. (I use George Imire and Tony Jadczak's
method of having my bees overwinter on summer honey. The archives have
the method.)

Bill Truesdell
Bath, Maine

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